Choose the right truck for the job
Isuzu trucks are proving their worth in helping improve municipal service delivery
SERVICE delivery is a term on everyone’s mind in modern society and effective municipal service delivery requires road transport to match the tasks urbanisation is creating. This is where Isuzu trucks are showing their versatility and worth in large and small municipal fleets.
Service delivery not only requires efficient wheels but in many cases is conducted by a municipal crew that must be transported with the truck. Regulation 247 is a legislated risk for those engaged in construction and service industries where staff are conveyed on trucks.
There is no restriction on the number of people that may be carried on the back of a goods vehicle, but it must be empty of tools or goods — with the exception of personal effects — unless they are separated by a partition. While the number of people is unrestricted, a truck’s gross vehicle mass (GVM) may still not be exceeded. But, the “people factor” is an essential part of GVM makeup. The answer to this is provided through Isuzu truck crew-cabs.
The company has established a leadership role in offering municipalities standard crew-cab models for both medium and heavy duty 4x2 trucks. It can supply three models with stepped GVMs at 5,200kg, 7,500kg and 13,500kg respectively. The N-Series crewcab models NMR 250 and NPR 400 can seat either six or seven people including the driver. The new heavy-duty F-Series range includes one crew-cab model in the form of the FSR 750, a 13,500kg GVM (around 6,500kg payload) truck offering fullyhomologated seating for seven — a driver and six passengers.
An additional benefit is that the NPR 400 crew cab model has a significant feature not found on any medium-class truck providing a technical advantage — an automated manual transmission designated as “Smoother AMT”. Automated manual transmission is a success for Isuzu trucks wherever it has been introduced into South African municipal operations. It converts a standard transmission into an automated shift gearbox for improved fuel efficiency.
Isuzu was the first truck manufacturer to take a step forward by introducing the AMT concept in its N-Series medium truck range in 2010. The concept has been so well received in municipal operations that it has now extended its heavy F-Series truck range with an additional four AMT models ranging from 11,000kg GVM up to 15,000kg GVM with a payload from about 5 to 8 tons, depending on the type of cargo body fitted. AMT is a standard feature on the 7-person crew-cab model FSR 750.
What makes an automated manual transmission so suitable for municipal work? Essentially, Isuzu says it makes a good driver out of a poor or mediocre driver and fuel consumption will benefit from improved driving style. It ensures the correct gear ratio for take-off and gradient, so clutch abuse is eliminated. Smooth, seamless AMT gearchanging has a positive effect on the whole driveline.
Road safety is not negotiable in a municipal truck fleet. In today’s ever-increasing traffic conditions, a truck driver is constantly monitoring the surrounding rapid changes on the road. AMT provides a truck driver with more scope to concentrate on the situation at hand without the distraction of selecting the correct gear.
When it comes to payload and application, it is not possible to find a universal answer in one model truck with one GVM. A truck range must offer a wide choice for payload efficiency and the cost of capital investment.
Isuzu Trucks all come with a 2-year unlimited distance or 2year warranty for models from 3,5 ton GVM and more.